summerborn dilemma

[duplofrenzy]

My summer born DS2 is 4, but has not started reception this September as he was definitely not emotionally/ socially ready. He is doing well at preschool and very happy, which is the most important thing to us.
We are faced with a dilemma now about his school start and I would appreciate advice from anyone who has experience of something similar.

He is not ready for reading/ writing yet and only just about starting to draw anything more than a scribble. I definitely don't want him to be pushed to do too much too early, as I know his personality and I know that it would switch him off it all together rather than make him rise to the challenge. Though I am sure he would fly when ready, if allowed to have the time.

My options are:

1. Start reception for the summer term, but means one more transition, which might be unsettling

1. Start year 1 in September, but he will then jump straight into more formal learning with kids, most of whom who will know how to read and write.

1. Apply to defer reception entry until next September, but don't know of anyone in our are who has ever been successful with this and he would be the oldest by 2 1/2 months as born in June. He is about 75th gentile, so would maybe look big for the year.

Has anyone got any wisdom from experience to impart?

Thank you!

There is a Facebook group with lots of people from different authorities. Search summer born delayed admission.

Flexible school admissions for summer borns

I think a big question is whether he currently has a school place and whether the school is full/ over subscribed. Affects how easy option 2 might be.

You know your child best but it might be worth considering letting him start Reception as soon as you think he can cope without being upset/distressed. My DS was the same, born end of July, and was tiny. He literally knew nothing (wasn't interested in numbers or letters) when he started Reception (full-time from the onset), and was quite shy. As soon as he started meeting new friends, he gained confidence and in himself felt the need to start wanting to learn to keep up with the friends (peer pressure at its finest). He is now in KS2 and is actually streamed to year above in certain subjects. I would not strongly recommend any option as each child is different. I guess this is just reassurance that kids are more adaptable and resilient than most adults give them credit for and can pleasantly surprise many times :-) As a side and as someone who has done primary teaching, I also noticed that boys adapt more easily socially as they do not seem as cliquey as girls, especially at Reception/KS1. Often they get excited over new kids and would try to be their friend. I am not generalising (I have both a DS and DD) but this is a common theme I observed across 3 year levels (including Reception), and across about 7 schools in 3 countries.

If he's repeating the pre school year then don't they follow the EYFS & he should be learning to read & write already with them?

My experience is (DS1 is 9 & in year 5 & DS2 is 5 & in year 1) is that the leap from preschool to reception is easier to manage than the leap from reception to year 1. Preschool & reception are very similar as they are play based & the learning is informal. Once year 1 starts then they are into the curriculum proper & my DS2 has commented on how they don't get playing time & how year 1 is much harder & he wants to go back to reception. Reception is about making friends/learning classroom stuff like how to sit on the carpet/being in a classroom environment/tidying away/hanging your coat up properly/experiencing Assembly etc & its not all focused on learning academic stuff. Year 1 is bang into reading, phonics & writing from the start & its assumed that a child will know how a classroom operates & the children who have been through reception (which ime is all of them) will have knowledge that a child who is starting in year 1 does not. Reception is very very gentle & the teachers will have the knowledge of how to introduce learning to children who have not experienced it before. There is lots of time available to get used to the classroom & get used to being in the environment & its a year of exploring & fun.

My DS1 was born 20 August, he is always the smallest in his year & slowest at races. However he is now in the gifted & talented club & outperforms his peers regularly. When he started reception he had zero interest in drawing & I don't think he had ever drawn a picture at home & he couldn't read or write with any confidence. He did fly at school.

DS2 is firmly in the middle of the abilities, he could write his name as nursery had taught him but he couldn't read or draw really. He's doing very well & we moved house last year & he had to change schools towards the end of reception, in June & he's doing absolutely fine. He's made friends & is enjoying himself.

My gut opinion for your DS is that he may find it difficult to settle in reception yes & it will be a huge change. But going from preschool straight to year 1 will be a far bigger change & whilst he will not be 'behind' in reception as there will be children who have not set foot in a nursery, he may well be 'behind' in year 1. If you defer & he is a year older then his classmates then he will have to explain himself constantly as to why he is in the year below his peers, which may have an impact on his confidence. I would start him for the summer term in Reception where there is no pressure & he can learn some basics in an environment that is directed towards small nervous children :)

Also there is of course HE, & MN has a different board for that.

Could you make an appt to speak to the primary teacher at your chosen school to discuss your concerns?

I wouldn't go for option 2. The difference in formality between reception and Y1 is quite big anyway. I think it would be too much for a child coming straight from pre-school.

I think your option 1 would be OK to give you son some time to get used to the school environment and make some friends before starting in Y1. Would you consider starting him Jan instead so he misses even less of reception?

I would be reluctant for my child to be out of school year anyway. I would imagine that your option 3 would not be an option in most Local Autorities unless he have SNs.

Does your DS have a school place for reception which your are currently deferring? Is that at your preferred school?

You do not actually say if the pre school can replicate Reception. They will, presumably, not have any children his age so what curriculum will they have in place just for him. Would it be more play? If so I would imagine his transition to Y1 being very stressful, but he could catch up. What if he still plays all the way through another year a pre school? Will he be ready for Y1? Now he has not started, I would discuss with the school what your options are? What do the pre school think and what are they likely to offer regarding the R year curriculum?

I'd get him into Reception asap. The longer you leave it the harder it will be for him.

Going straight into YR1 will be very tough if he can't read and write and isn't used to sitting at a desk type work.

I doubt you'll be able to start Reception in the wrong age group unless he has significant SN.

I would go with option 1, purely because I think if you chose one of the latter two, it would be highly unlikely you would get a choice - more than likely he'd have to go straight into Y1 without any of the learning of YR under his belt.

I think you should put him in Reception. I think the difference between Reception and pre-school is probably far less than you perceive.

What element exactly is it that you think he will not manage? The social aspect will not be any different to pre-school. He will not be expected to be able to read and write.

I don't think you will have much hope of deferring a June born child unless there is significant SEN. I think the flexibility is more around August borns, especially those who were prem.

Speaking as someone whose child did join straight into Year 1! Best thing we ever did. Yes, he is summerborn, but staying in his nursery just worked out best - he got to be oldest, it was fantastic etc. Not the only child to be starting, and he couldn't read or write - but he caught up really quickly. Not been an issue at all. Year 1 meant that he was really ready for school - and it's the emotional side of that that is more important than whether or not he/she can hold a pencil/read etc. You can always do some of those things at home if you are really concerned about them. Good luck with whatever you decide!

I'd be keen to start him in Reception ASAP even if he did 2 or 3 mornings a week to start off with. Children soon adapt and he will be able to form friendships before moving to Year 1. Obviously you know your child best but I haven't come across any child that hasn't benefitted from being in school from the beginning.

If you started him straight in yr 1 you would need to reapply for his school place as it will be taken away from you if you do not start him in the summer term. If the school is over subscribed you may not get a place back in the same school. I'd start him in January and I speak as the mother of a daughter born on 31/8.

I have 2 August borns, DS started Yr1 this year and DD started reception. DS has a boy in his class 51 weeks older than him, its not ideal and sometimes I feel he's a bit too young. DS at 4 had very poor pencil control, hated 'learning' or being told what to do, he just wanted to do his own thing.

Both mine coped fine with reception, it really is mostly play and introducing the idea of learning, how school works and social interaction.

Interestingly DS went to spend a couple of days at DD's pre-school over the summer and found it really boring because he'd got used to proper school.

I would definately not wait until Yr1, he will have to play catch up.

Thank you for your replies.
He has a place at our nearest school, deferred until April.
No way am sending him before then as he is so much happier and more confident in his current preschool than he was at the school nursery last year and I want him to have time to enjoy that and for it to hopefully stick.
It is April onwards I am deliberating over.

BottleyYellow - thank you for telling me about your son's year 1 direct entry. Great to hear from someone who has actually done it. How many of them joined then with him?

Duplofrenzy
It's rare to start straight in year one, so unless your school says otherwise, I would assume he'll be the only one.
I'm so so in favour of delayed starting but year one is now very pressured due to the phonics test. If you do decide to delay until year one I would be asking to discuss how they will handle phonics teaching for him. In lots of (especially 2 plus form entry) now stream for phonics from Christmas of reception. This is not to put you off, perhaps you could teach him the initial letter sounds and some further common sounds and blending at home?

Best wishes with your decision.

I would work on the basis that you wil not be allowed to defer a year. Unless he has some serious special needs it is unlikely to be successful.
I would allow him that time in reception if I was you. Just that extra term to get used to routines and the people he will be with would work in his favour I would think.

Thanks primaryteach87

I read up on phonics in great detail when my older child started school and so I would have no problem doing initial sounds and blending etc with DS.

You say you are 'so so in favour of delayed starts' - does that mean you are really in favour or ambivalent? I wasn't quite sure how to read the sentence.

Anyone else had a child start straight into year 1? If so how did it go?

I think the bigger question is whether delaying until year one is even an option. Is the school full, because if it is they won't hold his place...

I put my son in the April term, they let him do reduced hrs until I thought he was ready to go full time. He did mornings, then mornings & lunch, then full days. It took about a month. I would advise doing reception as a jump to Year 1 is hard - I think more so on the friendship building front.

I would also recommend playdates with classmates asap - contact the class rep and ask for the parent contact list. You can do this via the school office.

Govt guidance has changed on this over the last year. Many LA had a blanket policy of not allowing delay but this is not acceptable under the new guidance.

See the latest article from today

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25726538

My ds1 did option 2: at 4 he simply wasn't read for the conformity required at school. He had basically taught himself to read, but hadn't done any writing at all. Over the summer I taught him basic letter formation, within 1 term he was consistently writing more than any other children in class. It was definitely the right thing for him.

He obviously wasn't disadvantaged by it: fast forward 12 years. He got straight A*s at GCSE, is doing very well at sixth form and has just submitted a strong application to Oxford.

• All the other children in the yr1 class that he joined had done a whole year of full- time, formal education in reception (and it was a lot more formal then than it is now with the EYFS provision).